No prior art is known to the Applicant.
The present invention relates to trailers and more particularly to trailers having a low center of gravity.
For large tractor-trailers, the trailer may have a tendency to tip, lean or overturn due to the high trailer height and the weight especially the portion of the weight in the upper sections of the trailer. The height of the trailer may be due to the necessity of the trailer having a hitch which may be substantially raised from the ground in order to connect with the hitch mounted on the tractor. The hitch on the tractor must be lower than the hitch on the trailer so that the tractor can maneuver under the trailer for connection. This dictates that the space between the ground and the trailer is substantially wasted for carrying cargo.
The present invention provides a new type of transport vessel construction with the primary focus of the new construction type is to create transport vessels with a reduced tendency for tipping, leaning and/or overturning as compared to industry standard transport vessels used for the same purpose.
The transport vessel of the present invention is formed with a lower center of gravity than the prior art transport vessels by forming a portion of the transport vessel which may be a tank vessel to a point lower to the ground than the remaining portion of the transport vessel. This means that there is a significant difference in vertical height as measured from the ground between the lower portion of the transport vessel and the remaining portion of the transport vessel being designed to fit over the tractor/truck to pull the transport vessel.
The aforementioned difference in vertical height between centerlines of the transport vessel is achieved through use of a transitional vessel section of constant cross section. This transitional vessel section is formed in such a way that when the periphery of each end of the transitional section are vertically oriented, the centerline of the transitional section is at an angle. The effect of this transitional section is such that the centroid of the outside face of one end is offset vertically from the centroid of the outside face of the opposite end.
No prior art is known to the Applicant.
None of the known inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant disclosure as claimed.